Pit Bull mauls and kills leashed pet.

Edward and Courtney Pritchett with their Chihuahua, Abbey. Edward holds a framed photo of their other dog, Tink, who died after being attacked by a pit bull during a leashed walk.

An early walk on a recent summer morning has left a family pet dead and his owners devastated.

Edward Pritchett, 35, and his wife, Courtney, 25, of East Queen Street, were walking with their two small dogs, Tink, a 5 1/2 year-old Yorkie mix, and Abbey, a 1 1/2 year-old long-haired Chihuahua mix on June 30 when a pit bull attacked .

Courtney Pritchett said they had been walking down King Street and followed Eden Street to go back to East Queen Street, and home, because she was getting too warm.

When the couple reached the corner of Oakum and East Queen streets, they stopped to catch their breath. As they did, their dogs, both on leashes, also rested.

As they prepared to resume walking, Edward said, he and Abbey started ahead of Courtney and Tink.

“I heard Courtney scream, and I looked around,” Edward said.

What he saw was a pet owner’s nightmare. A pit bull had grabbed Tink around the waist and was shaking the much smaller dog like a rag doll.

Prior to the alleged attack, Courtney said, a “brown blur” had come rushing at her. Courtney said she tried to pull Tink up into her arms and out of harm’s way, but the pit bull was too quick for her.

“She was running full speed ahead,” Courtney said of the pit bull.

The Pritchetts said they tried to get Tink away from the pit bull while at the same time protecting Abbey. Ultimately, despite their best efforts, the pit bull killed Tink, they said. Abbey, terrified, escaped across the street under a car.

The Pritchetts said they might have seen Abbey killed too, and been seriously injured themselves had it not been for the efforts of a former neighbor, Mark Dawson, who came to their rescue.

Dawson said he could hear Courtney screaming for help from a block away, where he was mowing grass.

Dawson said he ran toward the scene and was able to get hold of the pit bull and lead it away from the couple.

The Pritchetts said they considered Dawson a hero, but Dawson said he looked at what he did as just being neighborly.

“They needed my help and I helped them,” Dawson said. “I was just being a good neighbor.”

A woman in the neighborhood rescued Abbey from underneath the car where she was hiding, returning her to the Pritchetts when the danger was over.

“We didn’t know her, and never found out her name, but we would like to thank her for what she did,” Courtney said.

Upon receiving calls about the incident, several officers and Chief Jay Fortenbery went to the scene to assist the Pritchetts and make sure the dog was taken into custody.

The dog, whose owner was in the hospital in Greenville, and ultimately died from gunshot wounds, had been entrusted to his sister for care. His sister, Kimberly Boston, has been charged with allowing an animal to run at large. The dog had been tied up in her yard but had broken free prior to the attack. Boston is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 14 in connection with the incident.

The dog was held at the Tri-County Animal Shelter in Tyner for 10 days then returned to family members with the provision that they not bring the dog inside the city limits of Edenton again.

Fortenbery said his department followed the law in doing so.

Physical and emotional wounds remain as the Pritchetts struggle to understand how their dog is dead and the dog they watched kill him has been set free.

Edward Pritchett said he tore four ligaments in one knee during the attack, losing his balance and falling to the ground, while trying to rescue his wounded pet.

“I’ve cried every day since it happened,” Edward said, holding a picture of Tink.

Still traumatized from the attack, the Pritchetts are making plans to leave Edenton and move to neighboring Bertie County where Courtney works.

“Staying here (in Edenton) would just bring back too many memories,” Courtney said. “When the attack was happening, we could see our home from where we were. There’s no way we could feel safe here anymore.”

A town of Edenton ordinance prohibits pit bulls from being kept as pets inside town limits. An exception was made for pit bulls already being kept when the ordinance was adopted in 2004.

Police kill pit bull as it attacks smaller dog in Gilroy

Gilroy Police say this is the dog that was attacked Monday by a pit bull.

A pit bull that was attacking a smaller dog in a residential neighborhood in Gilroy on Monday evening was shot to death by police.

The incident occurred Monday about 7:30 p.m. in the 500 block of West Ninth Street when dispatchers received a call that a pit bull was attacking another dog in the backyard of a neighbor's home, according to a news release.

When officers arrived, someone told police that the pit bull was killing the other dog. After entering the backyard, officers first tried to stop the attack by using pepper spray on the pit bull, which was unsuccessful.

Because small children were playing in the front yard and walking in the neighborhood at the time of the attack, officers believed the pit bull would have been a significant safety risk had it escaped the backyard. An officer fired one shot at the pit bull, which killed it, according to the release.

Police reported that the smaller dog's breath started to become shallow during the attack, an indication that it might have been suffering from life-threatening injuries. The small dog was taken to an emergency veterinarian for its injuries. Police said in the release they did not know if the smaller dog survived.

During the attack, police could not locate the dogs' owners. The person who lived where the attack occurred did not recognize either dog or who may have owned them. The owner of the pit bull was identified and issued a citation for a failure to restrain the dog, according to police. Gilroy police did not name the owner in the release.

                            This is not the first time the area has had problems with Pit Bulls.

This rescued Pit Bull named Sandy killed a goat in 2005

That attack, along with others, have apparently resonated with pit bull owners. The Sonoma County Humane Society reported that about 100 people had made appointments to have their pets spayed or neutered and they were being swamped by requests from pit bull owners who want their pets spayed or neutered, which can lessen the breed's aggressive tendencies.

Gilroy resident Yvonne Hyatt's arm after she was bit by a pit bull in 2009

Gilroy looked at the possibility of breed specific legislation at the end of 2009, but decided against it... Maybe it's time to have another look Gilroy?

Pit bull dog euthanized after injuring owner and guest at small party

A pit bull dog is dead and two people are injured after a weekend incident at a small house party in Surrey.

Pit Bull dog (not the dog involved in attack)


According to the RCMP a 57-year-old man was bitten Saturday by the dog. And as the 22-year-old dog owner fought to get the pit bull to let go of the older victim, he was bitten as well.

A weapon was used to get the dog to let go off its owner.

“The pitbull apparently, to the best of my knowledge, was not used to gatherings and got a little overwrought,” explained Surrey RCMP Staff Sgt. Bruce Anderson.

“They tried to break the dog off the owner, but he wouldn’t release, and unfortunately they used a weapon on the dog resulting in fairly serious injuries.

“By the time we arrived the dog was severely injured and upon request of owner the dog was euthanized by the member.”

Both the dog owner and the other injured man went to hospital for treatment of their non-life threatening injuries and have since been released.

The incident happened in the 108th Avenue and 152nd Street area. No names are being released at this time.

Couple is honored for beating Pit Bulls

Ajia Brown had part of his scalp and ears torn off during a vicious pit-bull attack in Hanover. While many of his wounds are healing, his mother Elizabeth Brown, said he still has a number of procedures to go - including stretching his remaining scalp to cover what was lost, and removing cartilage from his ribs to repair his ears.

Thomas Newell, the Browns' lawyer, said Ajia has undergone numerous surgeries, having his ears partially amputated and a significant amount of the back of his head removed.


Robert Beckner said he and his wife, Margaret, acted the same as anyone else would have that night June 1.


A small child and his mother were being attacked by two pit bulls in the yard across their alley, and the Beckners sprung into action.

Using a garden hose and a board, the Fulton Street couple beat the dogs, possibly saving the lives of 8-year-old Ajia Brown and his mother, Elizabeth, of Groton, Conn.

"I'd do it again if I got to," Beckner said Wednesday after Hanover Mayor Ben Adams commended the couple for their assistance.

Adams read the commendation to the Beckners during the Borough Council's meeting. The Beckners' family and friends were in attendance.

"Unfortunately, all too often the victim is left to fend for his or her own self while witnesses and others go about their business," Adams said. "Robert and Margaret, you ignored the dangers facing you that evening and provided assistance to two victims who may have suffered additional injury or worse, had you not intervened on their behalf."

The couple thanked the mayor and the council, appearing very humbled at the honor.

"Both are examples of what good citizens should be," Adams said.

Chester L. Little, 47, of 415 Pleasant St., the owner of the dogs, was found guilty of several charges relating to the care and licensing of the dogs, Angel and Midg. He also was fined $2,000 and told Angel must now be leashed and muzzled at all times. Hanover Borough Police officers shot Midg shortly

after they arrived at the incident.

Little also is facing a civil suit filed by the Brown family.

Thomas Newell, the Browns' lawyer, said Ajia has undergone numerous surgeries, having his ears partially amputated and a significant amount of the back of his head removed.

He now is under care of doctors from Yale, Newell said. They are waiting to see how the boy heals before deciding what surgeries to do next.

"On a sliding scale of one to 10, with one being the start and 10 being full recovery, we're at step two or three," Newell said.

However, he commended the Beckners, as well as the staff at Hershey Medical Center, where Ajia first was treated, for their work.

"Despite this traumatic and tragic event, they've encountered some very good human beings," Newell said.

Pit Bull attacks leave two people recovering

Mary Jane McKenzie said she has never been so scared in all of her life.




WHEELNG -- Two Wheeling Island residents are recovering after being attacked by two pit bulls on Wheeling Island.

The incident happened just before 7 p.m. Thursday near the corner of Florida and 312 S. Penn St.

Mary Jane McKenzie claims she was in the alley way between her Florida Street home and where the dogs live at 312 S. Penn St., when she noticed a gate was opened in a yard.

That’s when McKenzie said a pit bull named Coco came charging after her. A neighbor yelled for help. McKenzie said she was able to make it to her front porch, but was bitten. Neighbor, Desmond Lekandus saw what was happening and tried to help McKenzie. That’s when, he said, a second brown and white pit bull came after him, biting him on the hand. McKenzie has a gash on her arm and a pretty severe bruise. Lekandus said it was, “by the grace of God” that the pit bulls took off.

Both McKenzie and Lekandus went to the hospital for treatment and tetanus shots.

Those bitten along with several other neighbors, City Manager Bob Herron and Councilman Vern Seals met out in front of McKenzie’s home Friday morning to address the issue. Herron claims that the home owners at 312 S. Penn St. have been cited in the past for the dogs and were cited once again after Thursday night’s attacks.

Herron said, that the city does have provisions under a pit bull ordinance to deal with some of those issues and he plans to address the dogs right away.

Residents are calling on city leaders to remove the dogs. WTRF tried to talk to those at the pit bull’s home, but were told, “Go mess with someone else, people out here doing worse than this. Go somewhere else!”

Chief Matheny said that the two dogs were removed from the home late Friday afternoon and they are impounded, per the vicious dog ordinance. Samantha Demello has been charged with two counts of vicious dog violation, Matheny said.

Man accused of hogtying pit bull to stand trial

A Lamont area man accused of hogtying a pit bull and abandoning it in a field will be arraigned Aug. 6 on two felony counts and a misdemeanor charge.


James D. Worley, 52, was ordered to stand trial on two counts of cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of abandoning a dog following a preliminary hearing Wednesday in the Lamont division of Kern County Superior Court.

The crimes are punishable by up to three years in prison.

Worley has admitted to investigators that he dumped the pit bull, since named England, in a field after it bit someone and the property owner told him to get rid of the dog, according to investigative reports.

However, Worley denied tying up the dog.

The dog was found April 22 in a muddy field southwest of Lamont. It had boot laces wrapped tightly around its mouth, neck and legs.

An animal rescue group associated with actress Katherine Heigl picked up the dog with the intention of rehabilitating it for possible future adoption.


Pit Bull owners need to push for breed specific legislation, to help keep Pit Bulls out of the hands of idiots and animal abusers.

tags: abandoned, animal cruelty, foundation, friends of the kern county animal shelters foundation, heigl, hogtied, james worley, england

Dead Pit Bull found stuffed in a suitcase

NEW BEDFORD — Someone apparently threw a suitcase with an adult female pit bull terrier and several bricks inside into the waters off the Frederick Street boat ramp in the South End, according to animal control officials.



NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) - A gruesome discovery in New Bedford is under investigation.

New Bedford Animal Control officers say a dead pit bull was recovered from the water off Frederick Street.

The dog had been stuffed in a suitcase which was found floating by a boat ramp.

 Investigators are not sure if the dog was dead before it was put in the suitcase.

A necropsy will be performed.

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/massachusetts/new-bedford-pit-bull-found-stuffed-in-suitcase